Firaxis lets its hair down for a fun but flawed twist on XCOM's proven recipe of tactics and tension.

If you like keeping a roomful of people shouting at the TV, it's not a bad investment at all.

Crimson Desert is messy, but as you untangle its mechanics and compensate for its flaws, elements of genius and wonder make the experience worthwhile. Take time to leave the beaten path and find out which of its many facets appeals to you, and you'll discover a game that's far better as a sandbox than as a story.

As a turn-based space sim, Endless Space is essentially preaching to the choir. Its pacing, minimal story and lack of ground-level interaction isn't going to bring any new gamers to the fold (lightning-fingered StarCraft fans, stay far away). Luckily, the game gets big charm out of its aesthetics and what little writing it does have, and the core gameplay is balanced and nuanced.

If Costume Quest was a full-retail game, we'd recommend it with a few caveats. But seeing as its fifteen bucks, fans of RPGs/Halloween/Neglecting their children should pick it up without hesitation.

Avowed fills a first-person void within the fantasy RPG genre, but it also stands as an immersive spin on Pillars of Eternity without losing any of the stellar storytelling and worldbuilding that Obsidian Entertainment is known for. Overlooking its forgettable party combat system and some minor quality-of-life misses, Avowed deserves to be remembered as one of this year's best games.

It's not without frustrating bits, mind, like not being able to change direction once you're ascending/descending ladders or stairs. It's also quite slow. But regardless, it's a super-stylish puzzle game that offers hundreds of levels.

The only real problem with Accent Core is its lack of originality - hence the 8 instead of a 9 - but it's still a fantastic fighting game with one of the deepest fighting systems ever seen and a cast of unique-but-balanced characters that will have you playing until your thumbs bleed.

Huge levels and an incredible array of new ways to take down your targets make Sniper Elite 4 a killer addition to the stealthy series.

Although it may not look particularly different from its predecessors on the surface, nor include any groundbreaking, never-before-seen modes, NCAA 14 hits a ton of high notes and marks a great start to the upcoming fall sports game blitz.

Evolve is currently a smidge schizophrenic. Sometimes you play a match and the game's clever systems all coalesce beautifully; creating a charmingly hectic hybrid that occasionally channels Left 4 Dead's frantically back and forth antics while handling like a monstrous Titanfall. Play without mic'd up pals, though, and the pull of chaos is too strong, with battles struggling to keep their focus. The game also feels a little limited.

NHL 20 again leads the way for pro sports on PS4 and Xbox One, strengthened this year by shooting improvements and presentation upgrades.

Virtua Tennis 4 is a gorgeous, deep title that makes us happy to have our Vita – even if we have to deal with strangers watching us over our shoulders. It's a small price to play for a heck of a game.

If you never got a chance to play the original, or if it left you wanting more, this definitive edition ought to tide you over until the inevitable sequel hits.

A slick pastiche of ‘80s retro cool and modern gameplay, Strider is both faithful to its source material and still capable of finding its own identity. It’s basically the raddest Saturday-morning cartoon you’ll ever play.

Cronos: The New Dawn is an unabashed mash-up of survival horror's greatest hits, from Dead Space to Silent Hill, and its references make it a thrillingly familiar experience for fans of the horror genre. The only problem – which is, at times, significant – is a frustrating inventory system that can make combat feel more irritating than tense. Still, this is an atmospheric and uniquely introspective adventure for those who value a game's story as much as its action.

South of Midnight is a charming (if predictable) action-adventure experience that's perfectly happy to play it safe. Nods to folklore and the Southern Gothic tradition are well conceptualized through mechanics, lore, and environments, even if areas like narrative order suffer for this stylization. Familiarity soon fades into monotony across nine of its 14 chapters, though it's hard to stay bored when South of Midnight's world is such a smooth and effortless joy to explore. The result is a spellbinding tale that struggles to find its rhythm, but once found, absolutely sings.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a solid soulslike game with some unique systems that sets it apart from its contemporaries. Combat is flashy and fun, but it's bundled with some frustrating boss and movement mechanics. Still, a stunning world and excellent dungeon exploration make Wuchang: Fallen Feathers worth trying.

The game is also a mere $5, so if you're craving some gaming nostalgia circa 1995, but don't feel like yet another trek through Earthbound or Phantasy Star IV, Rain-Slick 3 is an easy choice for anyone with an appreciation for turn-based combat and a good Cthulhu reference.

The Gunstringer has a few hang ups, but it's fun nonetheless.The presentation, narration, and humorous world coupled with the simple, intuitive controls make it a game to consider for your Kinect collection. However, the shortness and laggy controls could be a deal breaker for the hardcore audience.

Heavy Weapon is the type of brief, brainless fun the service is built for, without looking and feeling like a crusty old arcade game. It's easily one of the 360's best downloadable games yet.

Hitman's first episode is a hugely detailed and beautifully made stealth experience with hours of potential. However, be wary if you're not up for replaying the same level to get all it has to offer.

It’s not a perfect game, mind you, but it’s a breath of fresh air that reminds you how invigorating a game designed for – and not around – the Wii can be.

Headlander has a few rough spots, but its 70s retro/sci-fi aesthetic and head-swapping gameplay are out of this world.

ZombiU's complete and utter dedication to creating a tense, realistic zombie survival game can be problematic, and its often at odds with itself. Despite this, the game successfully proves that horror games can be enhanced by the Wii U's GamePad, and does a great job at showing how the new controller can create an incredibly immersive experience.

Better mechanics, a deep historical mode, expanded online capabilities, and multi-gender careers highlight a huge game with much to offer its fans. However, it’s difficult to view its desire to exact even more money after purchase by offering enticing course content as payable DLC that directly impacts your ability to play core modes of the game as anything but questionable.

If you're any sort of fan of 2D games and crazy-ass violence, you owe yourself a crack at this one.

Because of this, I feel I can forgive the hint of boredom that pops up every now and then. Zenless Zone Zero is an ARPG, but I'm playing it more for the 'RPG' part and less for the action, which is probably why I like it so much. If you're looking for a game to test the limits of your combat prowess, ZZZ isn't it, but if you want to experience wholesome stories in a stunning anime world with over a dozen different side activities, Zenless Zone Zero has got you covered.